Answer by Cdr Rathore:
Sir, it is true that both officers & Jawan serve our motherland in best possible manner. However, as an officer I get to work in larger capacity where my capabilities are employed to the hilt. In order to serve as an officer, I will be required to know much more than my Jawans about various armaments, tactics, navigation (map reading), rules and regulations etc. I am good at learning things. I will be able to lead my men to victory because I will exploit the armament and the situation to our best advantage. Sir, I am aware that in a battle only bravery does not matter. Afterall enemy soldiers are also going to fight with nearly similar weapons and bravery. In the battle my knowledge on weapons I am using & knowledge how enemy is likely to use their weapons, my physical fitness and how well trained & cohesive fighting team we are will win us the battle. In battle their will be exhaustion due to lack of sleep and tiredness. Thus, only those who have been challenging themselves physically and studying at the same time will be able to think clearly to lead the Jawans. As I grow in service, I will continue to update myself so that I can contribute towards planning battle on many fronts.
Basically, the interviewing officer will get to see:
- Do you know what are the soft skills required to be an officer and do you have them?
- Are you having correct insight (knowledge about correct level of your qualities)?
- Several OLQ’s will emerge from your answer. For instance, Reasoning ability, Effective Intelligence, Organising ability, Power of expression, Self Confidence, Initiative and Speed of Decision etc.
Note: The job performed by an Officer in an Army unit on a regular day (in peace station) will help you understand that an Officer needs to be good in both studies and fitness. He is able to perform at higher level than his Jawans because he can assimilate more than them.
After Passing Out from IMA/OTA (getting Commission), a Lieutenant gets some leave and then he joins the unit allotted to him.
He spends 30 days with Jawans in their living area. This period is called as “line attachment”. In this period, he gets to know lifestyle of Jawans. During this period, he sleeps in the living area of Jawans, dine with them, wake up with them, and he is being made to experience the duties of Sentry, Company Quarter Master Havaldar, Company Havaldar Major, Armoury NCO in-charge, Ammunition Dump NCO in-charge, Company Store in-charge, Cook House NCO in-charge etc. During these 30 days the Lieutenant is not being tasked with Battalion or Station tasks, he gets to spend whole time with troops and learn about their job & their difficulties. Afterall, as a leader we should know the problems, routine, and lifestyle of men we command.
After the 30 days, the Lieutenant gets to work under a Company Commander who is a Major (rank). The Company commander has approximately 121 Jawans including JCOs. After 30 days, he is dined in Officers Mess after which he stays in the Officers Mess accommodation.
On a regular day routine of a Lieutenant (Lt.) in the unit is as follows: -
We are assuming that it is summers (on winters the day starts 30 minutes late) and he is posted in a peace station such as Bhopal, Hyderabad, Lucknow etc.
0430 Hours - His helper (Sahayak) wakes him up with bed tea. Morning routine including shaving etc.
0500 Hours - He goes to PT, the JCO apprises him how many Jawans of his company are present (he gets to know if any Jawan is sick). The Lt. give the report to the company commander.
0530 to 0630 - He does PT with troops and train them on PT ground, he challenges them in physical strength which is the fun part as well.
0630 - 0730 – After coming back to his room, freshens up & changes into uniform. Thereafter he gives final touches to the schedule for the day regarding any conferences, tasks or meeting given by Adjutant a day prior.
0745 - 0815 - He finishes his breakfast. In army missing any meal is frowned upon by the seniors.
0830 - 0900 - He meets the Adjutant of the battalion. Adjutant tells him about tasks for the day. If there are no tasks (conferences, or meeting where he is the one who generally assisted in the power point presentations) he joins up his company in training area.
0900 - 1030 - He along with troops sit on the Squad Post and attend classes on weapon & tactics. Training is a continuous process in Indian Army because the company must act as a well-trained & cohesive group (For example players might learn individually to play basketball/football but they need to practice as a team to win matches).
1030 - 1045 - Tea Break
1045 - 1130 - Again the training resumes in the Squad Post.
1130 - 1230 - Jawans goes to Weapons and Equipment Store (called the Armoury). Jawans clean up the weapon and maintain it. The young Lieutenant meanwhile checks the ledgers and documents of the Armoury.
1230 - 1330 – The Lt. goes to the Company Commander and debriefs him about the training. Company Commander may further task him in order to groom train him. A good Company Commander encourages the Lieutenant to study for the upcoming Professional Course so that the young officer obtains good grades.
1330 - The Lt. goes to the Adjutant for any other task for the day. If there are no specific and urgent task for him which can be attending any conference in station on behalf of the unit or auditing accounts (canteen, Officers mess etc.) or preparing report on equipment gone bad etc. Any such task must be completed after the lunch.
1330 - 1430 – The Lt. eats lunch in officers mess with rest of the officers.
1430 -1530 - The Lt. gets some rest or completes job given by the Adjutant or studies his professional subject or any book of his choice.
1530 - His helper brings bed tea for him.
1600 - 1730 - He goes to the field to play sports with his company. Sports such as football, hockey, volleyball, or basketball. The nature of sports depends upon the competition coming in the near future in which the unit team will participate.
1730 - 1930 – The Lt. takes shower, changes in appropriate dress and goes to office where he might work on files, Presentation or study professional subjects for courses.
1930 - 2100 – If the work or studies are under control, he joins officers in the officer’s Mess Bar to share soft drinks/couple of drinks. There Officers have informal discussions on world affairs.
2100 - 2200 – The Lt. joins other Officers for dinner and later gets rest for the night.